God Bless, Texas: Reform Effort in the Lone Star State Worth Watching

AUBURN, AL- A reform movement is sweeping the country but seems to be gaining the most ground in Texas. The movement backing an Article V Convention has legislation before the Texas General Assembly aimed at defining the roles and authority delegates would have at such a convention.[1]

While this step is far from making the convention- which has never occurred in the history of the United States- a reality, it is an acknowledgment that the movement is gaining steam.

Now, what does this have to do with reform?

In part due to concerns that existing protections, such as the 2nd Amendment, would be threatened if the Constitution were opened up for change, much of the conversation now has shifted to a more narrowly defined convention that would only deal with specific issues.

In 2014, our Southeast Regional Coordinator, Senator Trip Pittman, said the following at a press conference: “I would see this as being very narrow, very tailored to deal with potential issues that may not be able to be handled in Congress because of the environment, the plethora of interests and all of the great challenges that sometimes seem to be overwhelming. They are tough enough here in Montgomery, and this is a minor league compared to Washington, D.C.”

Pittman’s thoughts and his leadership have shaped the conversation. In order to achieve something that has never been done before, the scope must be limited both to issues where there is a general consensus that a problem exists and that the handling of those issues can only truly be dealt with outside of the nation’s capital.

The most recent national conversation, which took place in colonial Williamsburg, aimed its focus largely on curtailing federal power and providing additional authority to the states. Such an effort would surely be most successful in an Article V Convention format. However, another proposal included the provision of term limits, showing an opening for general government reform.[2]

And, here is where we return to Texas. Governor Greg Abbott- whose influence in the conservative movement nationally is growing- is among the most prominent supporters of the convention effort. In fact, beyond simply applauding SB21’s passage through that chamber, Abbott’s support was framed around the much larger issue. He said, “Our nation is succumbing to the caprice of man that our Founders fought to escape and I am encouraged that the Texas Senate has taken the first step in joining other states from around the country in reversing that trend.”[3]

The support in Texas may be central to seeing reform take a front-and-center seat in the conversation of such a convention. Our friends at Texas Wolf-PAC, an organization where there is much alignment yet some disagreement over the specifics, have made great strides in pushing conversation regarding elections, campaign finance, and influence reform to the forefront. They are a major reason why Texas appears primed to spearhead a convention call.

Take Back Our Republic looks forward to joining this conversation, and we believe that an Article V Convention- framed properly- can be an incredible vehicle for influence reform both from the federal government to the states and from the special interests to ‘We The People.’

We’ve written about “Draining the Swamp,” and we continue to support efforts of great leaders in Congress who are working toward that goal. However, we believe an Article V Convention could be a step in the right direction. What do you think? Do you support an Article V Convention? Do you believe that it should be narrowly tailored and delegates bound to discussing just a few issues?